community in Wyoming
Honey bee forage in Ranchettes, Wyoming
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Wyoming. Against other Wyoming sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (77th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.6 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 3.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 3.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ranchettes?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Oct 15, peaking late May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ranchettes, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Ranchettes
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.32 mi E.
How Ranchettes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 40th | 63rd | 96th |
| Wyoming | 92nd | 97th | 77th | 92nd |
| High Plains | 58th | 30th | 45th | 100th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Ranchettes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cheyenne 6 mi · Warren AFB 7 mi · Fox Farm-College 8 mi · South Greeley 9 mi · Hillsdale 16 mi · Burns 22 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Ranchettes (41.219, -104.7729); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.